Black Garden
by tsilver9
Summary: The Thousand Year Blood War has ended, and the Quincy are on the run. A ragtag task force made up of Soul Society's undesirables, Black Garden are sent after a team of Sternritter headed into Hueco Mundo, but soon after they and the Quincy find themselves cut off and stuck in this domain of Hollows...
1. Chapter 1

I kept on looking from far. I couldn't help myself in the end. I just had to. It was taboo to even think about trying to work your own stories using someone else's creation, but I have succumbed and admitted it's just too alluring to avoid. Without further ado, I make my foray into fan-fiction.

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**BLACK GARDEN 1 – EMBERS OF A BLOODWAR**

**1**

Across the world in secret places.

In a deep dense forest in the Amazon.

In numerous small cities in Japan.

In the desert, Egypt.

Bermuda, Antarctica

Serbia, Amsterdam, Johannesburg

Australia

Over oceans of the seven seas…

On the tall buildings of Berlin, people clad in black and people clad in white clashed against one another. Blue arrows of light streaked forth and punctured people and deadly blades cut down the other side. Surprisingly despite their range, the supernatural archers were falling to the blades of the shiningami.

The blade came down and the blood rose up, besting the blue arrows of the Quincy.

This scene was being repeated countless times across the world.

The Quincy were losing. This was the end of a war.

This was the dregs of what had been known as The Thousand Year blood war, four months after the fact. Now it was just a worldwide massacre, extermination. Sometimes the Quincy put up large scale fights. Sometimes it was one on one battles, but whatever the case they were losing.

The few Quincy forces that were fighting were scattering: Their King had fallen. They had nowhere to go.

Somewhere in the skies of London, England, a key battle was taking place. Or the remains of a battle at least.

Two members of 'The Divisions' stood in the air in front of a large white gate.

One was Raito Goriaki, an old man of short stature, with a bald head with a top-knot. He crossed his hands as he watched. A younger comrade with jet black hair stood on the side. His name was Maru. Just Maru.

"Is this really a good idea?" Maru said nervously.

Goriaki huffed, "Who cares? Most of the captains agree anyways. They'd come along themselves if Yamamoto didn't suddenly get old in the head."

Maru scratched the back of his head, "Oy oy oy…. Be careful of when you say those things. Especially if someone like Sasakibe were to hear…" The other said as he eyed the gate. His zanpakutou – his sword – was sheathed as normal. There was no fighting here.

Goriaki snorted, "So what? Everyone agrees, and it's done. We'll hunt down any of those remaining Quincy. Letting them off is foolishness!"

"Yeah." Maru said.

They were discussing a plan to go after The Quincy vanguard fighting force: The Sternritter. What little control and order remained was only due to these elite. A

When Genryuusai Yamamoto let the king go rather than execute him, most of The Sternritter had vanished along with him. The two shiningami talking now both agreed: The mercy of that man had left them in a situation whereby the Quincy could hide and come back for revenge.

For this reason, these two men were standing here. This was all of course unofficial. Only a select few captains supported going against The Commander's directive.

"Will it be useful at all?" asked Maru, "It's Hueco Mundo after all… We may take out one or Sternritter but they're only fundamentally human. They won't be able to last in the first place. They will die regardless of what we will do. Two years from now Quincy will be extinct. At most."

Goriaki smiled, "That's the key. How much do you know about Hueco Mundo? This is a place that barely anyone has investigated. And what if the Sternritter survive for some time and somehow gain power? We need to deal with both problems: It's so many birds with one stone."

"You mean this is some sort of data collection mission as well?"

"Of course. Whether they live, or die, we will reap the benefits. This is exactly why we have backers even from Central supporting this."

Maru was shocked, "Central? Really?"

"Who else do you think would make the assembly of the shiningami's first united task force team? And the wide pardon of those Risk Elements?"

'Risk Elements' are shiningami who are deemed dangerous to Soul Society as a whole, and locked away, whether they have committed a crime or not…

Maru nodded, "I see… "He noticed something and commented, "Oh, it looks like it's finished. They've gone in."

In the distance the last fighting seized. Some Quincy had been left at the Garganta to hold off the pursuing task force.

One last flash, a drawn out scream, ("FOR THE KING!") And it was over. The great white gate closed up and the night sky was free of any obstruction.

"Those Quincy sure love their pride." Maru said.

"Pride doesn't win any wars. Power does." Goriaki replied.

The two shiningami turned and walked through a waiting senkaimon. They never appear in this story ever again.

15 bodies clad in black ran through perpetual darkness on a yellow path made of reishi.

This group of shiningami didn't look like a seamless single unit: Not one person was quite like the other. The only similarities were their uniform, and yet even one or two had something over their black shihakusho.

This was the covert shiningami team, Black Garden. Their mission: Pursue and destroy the fleeing Sternritter.

Noticeable at the tail end of this battalion was a giant of a man who stomped along the path, and it was a wonder that his weight didn't crash right through the flimsy looking reishi bridge. His name was Jimizu "Rashoumon" Ikkanzaka.

Creating this sturdy spiritual bridge was the kidou officer Benjamin Kuramada, and he was sweating heavily at the strain of holding up everyone including this giant. Still, his skill was undeniable to be making such a clear and wide structure in such a place.

They were crossing through the void world to Hueco Mundo, and apart from them and this light bridge, there was nothingness, a pitch black.

Kuramada sighed, "Rashoumon of all people crossing this place… He's so damn heavy… how the hell did he get like that? Was he actually a whale in his past life?"

"Sorry about this Kuramada." A beautiful dark skinned lady with black hair spoke. She seemed to have no issues running along with the others. Her name: Yuko Yoriko, a medical officer.

Benjamin Kuramada smiled sheepishly, openly overwhelmed at her beauty, "Ahaha it's nothing I'm just complaining for fun." He winced when at the back of the line Rashoumon made a heavier step than usual.

"Don't push yourself…" A concerned boy whispered next to him.

This person was bespectacled and almost as tired looking as Kuramada. He didn't have much stamina to be running like this. However, he seemed to want to keep up with Yuko.

His white lab over coat identified him as either a high ranking officer or one of the 'Field Geeks'. The few times when their intelligence was needed on the battle field people like him were called on upon by Division leaders to analyze reiatsu within an area.

No shiningami leader would admit to the fact that such scientific officers were useful however. Hence their nickname of Field Geeks. The name of this particular Geek was Ming-Rui Yamato.

Benjamin managed a smile. "Heh. If a weakling like you takes pity on me, then my reputation as a genius kidou-master is over!" With one final shout he added more power and the bridge finished to its final stretch to break out of the void world.

At the end of the bridge the blackness opened into segments of uneven squares, revealing a bleached desert at night time.

Collectively they all vaulted out of the black void world into Hueco Mundo, landing on the sand one by one. Rashoumon landed with a heavy boom, before silence descended on the group as they looked around.

Ming-Rui forgot his fatigue for a moment as excitement rushed through his veins. He looked out in interest.

"Ah…" He had no words as he looked up at the moon.

So this… This was the eternal twilight of Hueco Mundo.

"Look sinister." Yuko said. But to Ming-Rui it looked something other than that… Beautiful

"Hueco Mundo" Ming-Rui spoke with awe. The other shiningami held solemn expressions, each with their own thoughts.

Hueco Mundo was just a name to many shiningami, just as Hell or The Spirit Palace usually was. This was truly a privilege.

"We're here-"Kuramada was cut off by someone hissing at him, "And we're on a mission. Silent."

"Okay everybody." A voice called out in a voice that wasn't too loud but commanding enough to get everyone to listen.

It belonged to a benevolent looking man with a golden necklace and small tattoo on his left cheek. The handsome man was clearly a noble of sorts. Name: Shiga Ukitake.

"While Kuro scouts out be quiet and alert." Smelling the air, he breathed in deeply, "Hmm…" He shrugged, "Well, anything is better than the stench of Rukongai…"

"What… Did you say?" Rashoumon growled.

Shiga only laughed and ignored the giant.

As the shiningami got used to their general bearings, Kuramada held the portal open. This was considerably less strenuous than ferrying the whole team across the void.

"Are you okay?" Ming-Rui asked, finally able to pay attention to his surroundings.

Kuramada nodded, "Hm, a little tired but I'll manage."

"Here, have this." Ming Rui handed him a pill, "It's new, but I'm sure it'll help. I got it from a trustworthy source…"

Kuramada paled, "You made this yourself didn't you."

Ming-Rui did not comment.

Kuramada promptly pocketed the pill, "No, I don't want to die just yet."

Ming-Rui was just about to reply when a flash of light streaked past them. It nearly hit Kuramada.

"Looks like they left some small fry here!" Shiga shouted merrily as he cut down a masked Quincy. Another tried to escape but was matter-of-factly flattened by a small footstep by Rashoumon.

The distance the Quincy had travelled was notable, but the foot had simply reduced that distance to nothing.

Seemingly unconcerned about the person under his foot, Rashoumon stretched himself loudly. Horrendous cracks pealed out across the landscape like gunshots, and the shadow he cast was long and deep. The shiningami generally stayed out of the shadow of this giant.

"So unclassy." Shiga said disapprovingly up at Rashoumon, "How are we even supposed to maintain an element of surprise with you standing around here?

It wasn't his fault that he was that large, but in such a flat landscape it indeed posed a problem. Rashoumon did not seem apologetic at all.

"What can weak twigs like them do? Let's deal with them and get out of here." He rumbled.

Shiga rubbed his chin, "Hm… I don't disagree, but we haven't met our prey yet. They can't have gone anywhere in such a flat landscape so fast. They bought some time yes but we've gone after them fast. Kuramada, don't tell me you messed up on transportation?"

Kuramada struggled to keep his face straight, annoyed, "No chance of that. Besides I was not the only one who sensed their reiatsu."

A tall and thin man with small spectacles walked up to Shiga,

"Shiga, you aren't the leader of this squad so please refrain from acting as such."

Shiga looked at the man, "Well, toothpick, I didn't see you doing anything.

'Toothpick' just stared at Shiga and nodded at a nearby crest of the hill, "Contrary to the general landscape that hill is wide and tall enough to hide whatever's on the other side. Hueco Mundo is also known for having deep underground caverns. As a leader I know this. Kuro is already out tracking their scent, for now, we wait."

Shiga said nothing and looked away.

The man adjusted his glasses and looked up at Rashoumon, "I repeat: There are underground caverns, so please be wary of stepping around so happily."

Rashoumon grunted as a reply. It seemed good enough for the man.

Without losing a beat he turned and addressed the other shiningami present, "Everyone else be alert! Benjamin, keep that Garganta open. I recommend you take what Yuko prepared when you begin to feel fatigue. In the next half hour, we'll see if we're here for the long run or it's a quick mission. I want you and you to protect him."

Other than Yuko and Ming-Rui, two other shiningami gathered around Benjamin Kuramada.

The other shiningami were taking positions as well.

Some set down large packs that they had carried with them. However, even if they were staying here for 'long' the supplies they had were for no more than 2 weeks.

Technically there was no rank and file in this team, but 'Toothpick', was the one who issued general commands by common agreement.

Satisfied that his orders were being followed, 'Toothpick' murmured, "Shiga. On the day that your false sense of nobility compromises the team I will cut you down and go along with my own business. I'd like to be able to ignore you but our kind of situation demands that we be careful."

Shiga brought his hand to his hilt, "Oh really?"

'Toothpick' seemed unperturbed by this gesture, only looking silently at Shiga.

"I have a report." The bald shiningami arrived with a discreet flash step amongst the two, ignoring the tense atmosphere.

"Kuro." Toothpick acknowledged him, "Speak please."

"Thirty Quincy. They're splitting in two groups. The lead Sternritter has mobilized to attack us with four others. They will be on us in the minute."

Shiga whistled, "Must be confident in their abilities huh?" He unsheathed his blade smoothly.

"Or they're buying time for a greater cause. What is the other group doing?" Toothpick unsheathed his sword as well.

"I had no time to confirm." Kuro said. As an attack was coming right then he only had time to announce that fact. Still, it was commendable that he was doing this all with absolute calm.

Toothpick nodded, "It may be a last ditch effort to let the smaller members survive. Or it could be a calculated action to win. I did not expect The Sternritter to face us so quickly; it seems this mission may be short after all."

Toothpick shouted the order, "Everyone! They're coming! 3 pronged attack formation, now!" Toothpick ordered. The shiningami all unsheathed their blades in preparation for battle.

They looked at the hill from whence Kuro had come. Nothing seemed to indicate anything of the sort.

Until they crested on the hill, five of them riding platforms of spirit particles, with their bows already drawn.

Before any of the shiningami could say anything goats of blue arrows flashed down towards them. The battle began.


	2. Chapter 2

2 LOST

They appeared on the crest of the hill. One of the many sand dunes that populated Hueco Mundo.  
It was a veritable army of Quincy, 20 in total. They dotted the landscape like white molars rising from pale gums. While some were on foot others rode on board-shaped platforms of reishi. Their white garments flowing.  
The 14 gathered Shiningami tensed up as they looked up at the attackers.  
"Hirenkyakyu. And really advanced too for it to be seen like that." Shiga commented. His long blade, Mizutori was already out and drawn, its tip hovering just an inch over the ground. Despite his general rudeness there was no hiding the fact that he was truly royalty.  
"There's a high concentration of reishi here. Keep your guard up! Let's clean these people up and head back!"  
With a roar the Shiningami ran against the approaching wall of Quincy. Taking the initiative the Quincy began firing arrows as the Shiningami rushed them.

"Pfe, can you hear that? They think they can take us alive." Ulysses, one of the leading Quincy said as he aimed his silver spirit bow and drew on it, the energy flaring and crackling as he aimed and gathered reishi to fire a deadly shot.  
His companion, a beautiful voluptuous Quincy replied. "Hm… I do like people with guts. They're so warm to bath in." Her name was Anastasia

"Feed, Hitokue!" One of the Shiningami roared as the gap closed between the two forces. He had only suffered one wound from the mass of arrows, and was ready to cut down one of the Quincy.  
"Oy!" Another Shiningami warned his comrade.  
But it was too late. Ulysses' arrow pierced him right through the heart and he dropped dead where he stood. This was promptly followed by a tirade of others Regardless the outcome would've been the same. Despite the Shiningami's flash step, the Quincy had higher maneuverability and more initiative in making their attack. Even his comrades were not as presumptuous in their charges.  
"Fool!" Toothpick shouted as he flash stepped right in front of Ulysses and slashed his blade. Ulysses quickly dodged it, laughing at the attempt.  
The battle would be quick. 14 – No 13 Shiningami against 20 Quincy in a high reishi area? No contest.  
"Ulysses!" Anastasia shouted as she shoved her comrade out of the way.  
"What?" Was all he could ask as he felt his right arm burn off and a blinding blue light rushed past where he had stood before.  
He barely suppressed a scream of pain, looking around with angry eyes at the perpetrator. It turned out to be a black haired youth with a decidedly evil smile.  
"Did that hurt? How are you going to draw a bow without an arm now?" He laughed as he launched another attack from his released blade – a Sickle. Anastasia moved out of the way, pulling Ulysses along and taking to the skies to get out of reach of the Shiningami. They too had miscalculated the far reaching abilities of a Shiningami's released blade. And if there were any Bankais…

"You Shiningami are all totally outnumbered" One of the Quincy stood high above them. She was an aged looking woman with a cap. Her robes were somehow more magnanimous looking than the usual Quincy's outfit, and it was clear to the more discerning Shiningami that she was a high ranking officer.  
"I'm enough to take care of all of you." She said.  
"Hey, aunt, what are you talking about?" Shiga laughed as he took to the air after her. He slashed his long blade to cut her into two, but the woman had already gone into motion.  
The woman revealed a special cross. Its design was clearly different, and the fact that the cross materialized a graceful rapier…  
"Sternritter…" Shiga said with surprise. His first attack met the rapier and clanged off it. The woman promptly used hirenkyaku to distance herself and drew a pentagram in the sky, all in the space of 2 seconds.  
"Whoa-"  
A blast of light reached out to hit Shiga, which he received with the tip of his blade and deflected, the light landing in the round nearby and detonating like a bomb.  
"Let's get out of here, Ulysses! Lyndolyn can handle this!" Anastasia shouted. She was normally very calm but was concerned about Ulysses' wound.  
"Don't be silly. I can still fight." Ulysses shrugged her off. He had indeed already stopped the bleeding and wasn't bothered by the loss of the arm. He took flight and drew a silver metal hilt from his belt. A blade of reishi sprouted from it. A Seele Schneider,  
"I was never good at bows anyhow!" He swooped low and engaged the same black haired Shiningami, who was surprised at the close quarters attack and barely blocked it.  
"You idiot!" Anastasia shouted, but she couldn't do much as she flew out of the way of a slicing wall of air released by a female Shiningami.  
"So it's beauty vs. beauty huh!"  
"…" The opponent gave no reply as she attacked.

The tide of the battle changed surprisingly quickly as more and more blades were released.  
Shiga cut down three Quincy in quick succession, boasting an ungodly reach and speed in catching up with them. Whilst the leader known as Lyndolyn was still holding her own against a three pronged attack and had killed two Shiningami as well, the Quincy were quickly dwindling in number, suffering from the close quarters engagement.

Almost too suddenly, there were only 4 Quincy remaining against 10 Shiningami.  
"What's happening?" Toothpick commented. All the shiningami. Well, most of them were just on the verge of attacking and mopping up the remaining four Quincy. Other than Ulysses they were all unharmed.  
"Are these all Sternritter?"  
"Weren't there supposed to be more though?" Kuro announced silently.  
"Ah, they found out." Ulysses said as he flicked his blade to the side. His opponent who had taken his arm was already dead; the girl who had fought against Anastasia was cradling his body. He hadn't been able to finish her off however due to the complete focus on the four of them.  
"They're trying to breach the gate!" A Shiningami shouted as he pointed in the opposite direction.  
Benjamin Kuramada was surrounded by 10 Quincy. He only had time to make a hand seal before he lost both his right hand that reached out and consciousness as a Quincy arrow blasted through his shoulder. Two others embedded themselves in his chest. When they saw that he refused to go down, they sent yet another arrow that pierced his stomach. Like this, he crumpled to the floor.  
Rashoumon managed to kill 5 of the Quincy in one vicious swoop, but he had been bounded by mass of reishi chains and was too slow in helping the one in charge of the gargantuan.  
Before it closed, four Quincy flanked the Gargantia and managed to keep it open, clearly understanding its structure. One Quincy took a futile but necessary stand against the flailing giant.  
"It's done! Let's return!" The four Quincy announced to the 4 Sternritter. The Gargantia flickered in place.

This had been their plan. To lure the Shiningami into Hueco Mundo and let them die in Hueco Mundo.  
There were no Sternritter here.  
"They played us!" Kuro shouted uncharacteristically.

Lyndolyn attacked with more pentagrams drawn in the sky, drawing out more of her abilities. The blinding deadly blasts of lights could only be deflected or avoided. Using this opening and their height advantage the Quincy triumphantly rushed towards the portal, but suddenly a great white arrow blasted into the portal.  
With a matter-of-fact sucking sound the Gargantia was sealed shut.  
"What the?" Ulysses shouted.  
"The Gargantia… closed?" A Shiningami wondered. Everyone was confused. Even the leader of the Quincy troupe and the ones who were working on the portal.  
"Ha-ha, no problem, we can always open another one." Shiga said as he ran towards where the portal was closed and the Quincy had gathered.  
"No… We can't… not without Benjamin… No, rather it was the Quincy who opened it in the first place and he only tried to keep it open." Toothpick said  
"Then we capture one of them!" Shiga jumped into the sky attacking Lyndolyn, "Die! Old hag!"  
Anastasia shot an arrow that forced Shiga to dodge away. Lyndolyn didn't seem aware of this, looking in the direction of the arrow that had sealed the portal, "Damn it all to hell! Kirgie Opie!" The old lady screamed.  
"You dare abandon us?"

In her earpiece a voice, hazed by static said pleasantly,  
"It's for the sake of His Majesty. Surely you understand, Lyndolyn. For the pride and for our survival…"  
With this, Kirgie Opie, Sternritter J of the Quincy disconnected his communiqué with her forever.

In the real world, he walked on the deserted air of Karakura town. Before him was another Quincy who smiled,  
"Is it done?"  
"Yes. That's the last decoy. Now… back to The Vandenreich."  
"I admire your loyalty, Opie." The Quincy said.  
They both vanished sideways, into shadows the size of their bodies.  
To that shadow kingdom known as Vandenreich. Where their king slept.


End file.
